Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 79147 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79147 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Mom’s an English teacher at the local high school. If it was up to her, she would’ve pursued a career in dance, something I know she loved because she still has all the recordings of her dance recitals on VHS in the living room. But fate had other plans for her, and when she realized it was just going to be the two of us, she crammed to get a degree in education while she waited tables so she could land a secure, stable job that could support the two of us.
“Thanks for doing those,” Mom says as I dry off the plate in my hand. “I was going to do them as soon as I got back.”
“You’re a bad liar, Mom.”
She cracks a smile before her eyes get big. “Oh my God. I almost forgot. You’re supposed to be getting ready for a date tonight. Don’t you need to go?”
I’d told my mom about my date lineup when we talked on the phone the other night. I’ve never been shy about sharing that kind of stuff with her, and the only thing she said when I came out to her in the ninth grade was, “I don’t care if you’re gay or straight as long as you marry rich.”
“It’s not until nine,” I say. “He’s got a late yoga class tonight.”
“Good. Because if I thought you had to cancel a date on my behalf, I would have moved. Are you excited?”
Her blue eyes light up as her eyebrows arch.
“I just met the guy the other week.”
“But this is your first official date since Lance, isn’t it? And don’t tell me if there have been more because that will destroy me, Hayden. Have you?”
“What? No.”
Cody doesn’t count as running around with boys.
She eyes me suspiciously, as though she knows better. And she would, considering she’s always been good at reading me.
“Not dating,” I clarify.
She grins, and I turn back to the sink.
“God, Mom. Don’t be weird.”
She approaches and hugs me from behind. “No. You were so sad and mopey around here right after you broke up, and I’m happy to see you’re back to living your life.”
She releases me, and I turn to her. “I wasn’t mopey,” I insist.
She glares at me.
“Maybe a little mopey.”
“Doesn’t matter. I’m glad you’re free. That’s all I’m saying. You know I never liked Lance.”
“Yeah, you always made that abundantly clear.”
“You were always so tense around him. Like you couldn’t be yourself.”
“That’s not necessarily a bad thing.”
She gently slaps my shoulder. “Don’t you even joke about that.”
Not sure I’m joking, though.
“Look at your little lip curling into your dimple. You know that’s how I knew.”
“Knew what?”
“That you were really happy.”
Fucking around with Cody has definitely eased some tension. Even though I’m not getting any ass right now, at least I get to enjoy messing around with someone. At least I’m getting off.
“Did you see the snickerdoodles I made?” she asks as she heads to the cookie jar on the counter adjacent to the one I’m at.
“I already ate three.”
“I’m going to give you some to take with you.”
I roll my eyes as I continue washing the dishes.
“You can even take some to your date,” she says as she opens the jar. She turns to me. “That’s weird, isn’t it? Forget I said that. Just evil mom-thinking rearing its head.”
“It’s cute. I like your mom-thinking. Although, speaking of mom-thinking, we need to go over your debit and credit card bills.”
Her expression shifts to guilt. “Are you going to make me return those things I bought at Belk?”
“And possibly a few thousand books to Amazon.” I wink.
“Sorry.”
“I’m going to get you to figure out how to balance a checkbook…even if it kills me.”
When I finish the dishes, I go over her finances with her, trying to make her mindful about paying bills on time and keeping on top of the mortgage. She was never good with that shit. It wasn’t until I got into middle school that I started figuring out how to help her with money management. Even when I was in California, I would Skype with her to work with her on her finances. Mom’s always said, “I was an arts major. I don’t know about this stuff.” But it was good for both of us because it gave me a way to feel like I had something to bring to the table. That I could make her life better in the way she’d always made my life better.
When I finish up, I head downtown for my date with Roger.
Just a little dinner and then maybe heading back to my place or his…hopefully, at least, because Cody’s right. I don’t need to sit here, letting Lance hang over my head…controlling my life from a distance. He already did that once.
When I show up to Henry’s, a block from Metropolis, Roger’s already sitting at a booth. I check my phone, and I’m relieved to see I’m five minutes early. As I reach the table, he stands and shakes my hand in a super-professional, uptight way. Awkward, even.